USA / 2024 / 93 min / True Story / English
LILLY is a poor, Alabama tire factory worker whose singular goal is to lift her family into the middle class. Toward that goal, she endures a dehumanizing work environment, plagued by pervasive harassment, for the sake of that paycheck. But as retirement approaches, Lilly makes a startling revelation; for twenty years the company has been paying her only half of what her male counterparts receive. Outraged, Lilly’s fight for justice takes her all the way to the Supreme Court and the power corridors of Congress. With a heart-stirring love story at its center, LILLY follows the transformation of an ordinary citizen into the face of an issue, illuminating the personal cost of activism.
DIRECTOR: Rachel Feldman is a veteran television director who has directed dramas for ABC, CBS, NBC, MGM, Amazon, SyFy and Lifetime, most recently the pilot and first season of the Netflix hit, “The Baxters,” as well as multiple episodes of “Blue Bloods,” “The Rookie” and “Criminal Minds.” Devoted to mastering the tapestry of skills required to transform ideas into emotional experiences, Feldman knew at a very young age that she wanted to make movies and with the help of many extraordinary colleagues, she just achieved that goal. LILLY is her first feature film. Feldman is also an activist for gender equity in Hollywood. Google her TedX Talk and her articles. Feldman is former chair of the Directors Guild of American Women’s Steering Committee. You can follow her @WomenCallAction
DIRECTOR STATEMENT: I first saw Lilly Ledbetter speak on television at the 2008 Democratic Convention and I was immediately gripped with the idea of transforming her story into a movie. Women all over the world are underestimated and discriminated against. Even in my own professional experience as a director in Hollywood, I’ve encountered shameful levels of exclusion. I was compelled to tell a personal story of an ordinary woman who takes extraordinary action – not just for herself but for others. In this moment, on our planet, we must be courageous to speak out for justice, to speak truth to power. I’m honored to tell Lilly’s story and I hope we inspire people all over the world who will see themselves in her and muster the courage to do the right thing.
